Sounds like Clews.

Yes! You are currently on the website of The Clowes Fund. The Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation was established independently by Allen Whitehill Clowes, a leading philanthropist in Indianapolis, Indiana; learn more by visiting https://www.awclowescf.org.

Led by a Futures Task Force appointed in 2018, the board affirmed its commitment to grantmaking in Indiana and New England for at least the next 10 years.

First, read carefully the relevant website pages under the Grantseekers tab. If you have a request that you believe is compatible with the Fund’s interests, then please introduce your organization by submitting an Introductory Application, generally by Nov. 1 each year.

An Introductory Application is required of organizations that have not received a competitive grant payment in the past five years (2020-2024); its purpose is to introduce your organization to the Fund before you invest in a Final Application.

A Continuation Grant Statement of Intent is required of organizations that have received a competitive grant payment in the last five years (2020-2024). It is a brief online application that answers the question, "How do you intend to use the Clowes Fund grant?" Staff will use this Statement of Intent to provide detailed guidance about a new proposal.

GOapply online applications are due by 11:59 PM Eastern on the due date regardless of day of the week. If February 1 is a Sunday, your application is still due online by 11:59 PM Eastern that day. Each online application is time-stamped upon submission and is auto-acknowledged via email.

The Fund uses this term because it fully captures our interests: "Socioeconomic status is the social standing or class of an individual group. It is often measured as a combination of education, income or occupation. Examinations of socioeconomic status often reveal inequities in access to resources, plus issues related to privilege, power and control" (from the American Psychological Association).

In the application, provide information pertaining to the legal fiduciary; i.e., the organization whose legal name appears on the IRS determination letter. If the proposed project will be executed by the subsidiary, then use the proposal narrative to describe the relationship between the two entities including information about the size (budget, staffing level) and scope (mission, programs, number of individuals served) of the subsidiary entity. Note, this guidance does not apply to fiscal sponsor relationships; you'll be asked for fiscal sponsor information on the GOapply online application.

Yes, we do require the IRS Form 990, 990-EZ or 990-N as a Final Application attachment. Due to IRS delays in posting, we request most recent return directly from the applicant rather than using publicly available sources.

The Fund prefers audited statements, though we recognize this is not always possible for smaller organizations. If your organization does not have an audit, you will be asked to attach the following: a statement of financial position (balance sheet for last completed fiscal year), and your most recent statement of activities (profit and loss) that have been accepted by your board.

The Fund is now making multi-year operating grants the norm rather than the exception. Grantees must take a three-year funding hiatus after receiving two Continuation Grants. The Fund will provide up to six years of consecutive operating support before grantees must take a three-year break. Introductory Grants are excluded from this calculation. We understand the challenge of a funding hiatus, but early and transparent communication is intended to help grantees plan for this time. We are committed to nurturing relationships with our grantee partners regardless of the funding cycle.

The Clowes Fund will email written notification of all decisions. If your organization is declined, you are welcome to contact your program officer for details about reviewers’ comments. Visit The Fund Family web page for direct staff emails. Please do not re-apply unless you have followed up to learn why your previous application was declined.

Download a copy of your submitted application from the Submissions page within your GOapply account.

Fund staff does not prescribe outcomes; instead, we ask you--the expert--to determine how to measure success. The 3-5 quantifiable Measurable Results in your application should match what you describe in the Narrative requirement. These results will be the benchmark from which you report on outcomes each year. Use clear and concise language; avoid acronyms and jargon, as reviewers may not know your organization or industry.

If you received an Operating grant, you may submit your most recent Budget vs. Actual report. If you received a Project/Program grant, refer to the budget submitted with your application, note any changes in actual versus proposed budget, and indicate how the grant was expended.

The Fund’s 990-PF grant payments listing is comprehensive; it includes discretionary Matching and Birthday Grants. These unsolicited, non-competitive grants are intended to be anonymous and not listed on public donor rolls.

Previous support from the Fund neither precludes nor implies future funding. Please note too that guidelines and priorities may change in future years; it’s always advised to review our website and ensure a good funding fit prior to taking the time to apply.